Clifton_Street_Boat_Launch_Specs_April_2026.pdf

Clifton Street Boat Launch

City Project Number: 22-090-01

Technical Specifications

April 2026

Notice to Contractors- Specifications The Contract shall conform to CTDOT Form 819 including all supplemental forms. The Contractor is advised that the specifications have been amended as described in these bid documents and within notes on the plan drawing set.

Notice to Contractors- Permits This project has received a Structures, Dredge, and Fill permit from CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and falls within the US Army Corps of Engineers Connecticut General Permit No. 2. These documents have been attached to this solicitation. The Contractor is responsible to meet all requirements of these permits at no additional cost to the project.

Notice to Contractors- Time of Year Considerations From the Structures, Dredge and Fill permit- If pile driving is to be conducted at any time between March 15th and October 30th, inclusive, of any year:

a. No pile driving shall occur during the hours between sunset to sunrise from March 15th through June 30th, inclusive, and,

b. All pile driving between May 1st and October 30th, inclusive, shall be conducted by either vibratory hammers or impact hammers employing a soft start; defined as a low energy start-up which builds over a period of 20-40 minutes.

Notice to Contractors- Plans There are two separate plan sets that roughly split into landside improvements and the waterside improvements. The waterside improvements include the abutment, pier, gangway, and floating dock. The landside improvements cover the repair of the platform including a precast block retaining wall that ties into the abutment, removal of a portion of the brick pavers and replacement with concrete sidewalk, a new ADA ramp for access, and installation of a parks message board sign. The only overlapping plan is the demolition plan which is included in the waterside improvements package and covers the entire project area.

ITEM # 0202999A DEMOLITION AND REMOVALS

02.02.01—Description

Demolition and Removals shall consist of removal and satisfactory disposal, in the manner herein required, of all material taken from within the limits of work contracted for to the dimensions and limits as shown on the plans or as ordered by the Engineer. This work includes but is not limited to removal of the existing concrete boat launch, existing pavers from platform, metal handrail and concrete collar, and three concrete bollards. Boulders and rocks that interfere with the pier, gangway, and floating dock installation are to be relocated just outside the project footprint. See Demo and Removal Plan within provided plan set.

02.02.03—Construction Methods

Remove concrete boat launch and any remaining base material.

Remove metal handrail and concrete collar and any base material remaining. These materials will not be salvaged and Contractor is responsible for disposal.

Remove existing pavers within the portion of the platform that will be replaced with concrete sidewalk. Existing pavers in good condition can be reused on site as needed to ensure the remaining paver section is in good condition. Otherwise, the Contractor is responsible for disposal of remaining pavers.

Remove three (3) existing 8-inch diameter, concrete bollards to a depth of at least 18 inches or deeper if required to perform any of the work in the plans.

Boulders and rocks that interfere with the pier, gangway, and floating dock installation are to be relocated just outside the project footprint following any additional requirements indicated in the permit documentation.

Care shall be taken to have minimal impact within the tidal zone. All CTDEEP Structures, Dredge and Fill permit requirements must be met.

02.02.04—Method of Measurement

Payment for Demolition and Removals will be paid for on a lump sum basis and therefore will not be measured for payment. This work is to include all demolition and removals as shown on the plans and required to perform the work.

02.02.05—Basis of Payment

Item Unit

Demolition and Removals LS

ITEM # 0811001A – CONCRETE CURB

08.11.01 – Description

Add “Cast-in-place Concrete Curb is to be built to New Haven Standard Detail NH-02B.”

08.11.02 – Materials

Portland cement concrete shall be in conformance with the requirements of the Connecticut Department of Transportation Standard Form 819 Materials Section M.03.02-1 and adhere to the mix design proportions of class PCC04462 mix.

ITEM # 0921001A, #0921002A – CONCRETE SIDEWALKS AND RAMPS

ARTICLE 9.21.01 – Description is amended as follows:

Add “Sidewalks are to be built to New Haven Standard Details including the following details: NH- 04 including wire mesh.”

ARTICLE 9.21.02 – Materials is amended as follows:

Delete the first sentence in the first paragraph and replace with the following:

Materials for this work shall meet the following requirements:

Portland cement concrete shall be in conformance with the requirements of the Connecticut Department of Transportation Standard Form 819 Materials Section M.03.02-1, and adhere to the mix design proportions of class PCC04462 mix.

ARTICLE 9.21.03 – Construction Method is amended as follows:

Wire mesh to be included in concrete sidewalk.

ITEM # 0699001 PRECAST CONCRETE BLOCK RETAINING WALL

ARTICLE 6.99.01 – Description

Work shall consist of furnishing materials, labor, equipment and supervision to install a segmental precast block gravity retaining wall system in accordance with plans and specifications and in reasonably close conformity with the lines, grades, design and dimensions shown on plans or established by Engineer.

ARTICLE 6.99.02 – Materials

Wet-Cast Retaining Wall Units

A. Wet-cast gravity blocks shall be wet-cast, Portland cement concrete blocks specifically designed for retaining wall applications. Wet-cast gravity blocks approved for this project are:

1. VERSA-LOK Bronco® 18H units supplied by VERSA-LOK, 651-770-3166 or approved equal

B. Finish of wet-cast retaining wall units shall be formed to mimic cut and split natural stone.

C. Wet-cast retaining wall units shall be 18” high by 48” wide by 24” deep.

D. Wet-cast retaining wall units shall provide a minimum weight of 120 psf wall face area.

E. Wet-cast retaining wall units shall be interlocked with alignment knobs and receiving slots designed with proper setback to provide a 3-degree cant from vertical.

F. Wet-cast retaining wall units shall be sound and free of cracks or other defects that would interfere with the proper placing of the unit or significantly impair the strength or permanence of the structure. Dime-size bug holes on the block face may be patched.

G. Concrete used to manufacture wet-cast retaining wall units shall be made with ready-mixed concrete in accordance with ASTM C 94 and have a minimum 28 days’ compressive strength of 4,000 psi.

H. Exterior block dimensions shall be uniform and consistent. Maximum dimensional deviations shall be 0.5 inch or 2 percent, whichever is less, excluding architectural surfaces. Maximum depth (face to back) deviation including architectural surface shall be 0.5 inch.

I. Materials shall meet ASTM C 94 – Standard Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete and ASTM C 1776/C 1776 M-17 – Standard Specification for Wet-Cast Precast Modular Retaining Wall Units

Submittals: The Contractor shall submit manufacturers’ certifications two weeks prior to start of work stating that the wet-cast retaining wall units and geosynthetic reinforcement meet the requirements of Section 2 of this specification.

Leveling Pad

A. Material for leveling pad shall consist of compacted sand, gravel, or combination thereof (USCS soil types GP, GW, SP and SW) and shall be a minimum of 6 inches in depth. The leveling pad shall extend laterally at least a distance of 6 inches from the toe and heel of the lowermost SRW unit.

Drainage Aggregate

A. Drainage aggregate shall be angular, clean stone or granular fill meeting the following gradation as determined in accordance with ASTM D 422.

Sieve Size Percent Passing

1 inch 100 3/4 inch 75-100 No. 4 0-60 No. 40 0-50 No. 200 0-5

Delivery, Storage and Handling

A. Contractor shall check materials upon delivery to ensure that the specified type and grade of materials have been received and proper color and texture of wet-cast retaining wall units have been received.

B. Contractor shall store and handle materials in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations and in a manner to prevent deterioration or damage due to moisture, temperature changes, contaminants, corrosion, breaking, chipping or other causes.

C. Contractor shall prevent excessive mud, wet concrete, epoxies and similar materials that may affix themselves from coming in contact with materials.

D. Contractor shall protect materials from damage; no damaged material shall be incorporated into the segmental wall.

ARTICLE 6.99.03 – Construction

Excavation

A. Contractor shall excavate to the lines and grades shown on the project grading plans. Contractor shall take precautions to minimize over-excavation. Over-excavation shall be filled with compacted infill material, or as directed by the Engineer/Architect, at the Contractor's expense.

B. Contractor shall verify location of existing structures and utilities prior to excavation. Contractor shall ensure all surrounding structures are protected from the effects of wall excavation. Contractor shall also protect adjacent wetland vegetation from disturbance as required in permits. Excavation support, if required, is the responsibility of the Contractor.

Foundation Preparation

A. Following the excavation, the foundation soil shall be examined by the Owner's Engineer to assure actual foundation soil strength meets or exceeds the assumed design bearing strength. Soils not meeting the required strength shall be removed and replaced with infill soils, as directed by the Owner's Geotechnical Engineer.

B. Foundation soil shall be proof-rolled and compacted to 95% standard Proctor density and inspected by the Owner's Geotechnical Engineer prior to placement of leveling pad materials.

Leveling Pad Construction

A. Leveling pad shall be placed as shown on the final, P.E.-sealed retaining wall plans with a minimum thickness of 6 inches. The leveling pad shall extend laterally at least a distance of 6 inches from the toe and heel of the lowermost wet-cast retaining wall unit.

B. Granular leveling-pad material shall be compacted to provide a firm, level bearing surface on which to place the first course of units. Well-graded sand can be used to smooth the top 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch of the leveling pad. Compaction will be with mechanical plate compactors to achieve 95% of maximum standard Proctor density (ASTM D 698).

Wet-Cast Gravity Block Installation

A. All wet-cast gravity blocks shall be installed at the proper elevation, orientation and depth of unit as shown on the wall profiles and details on the construction plans or as directed by the Engineer. The wet-cast gravity blocks units shall be installed in general accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. The specifications and drawings shall govern in any conflict between the two requirements.

B. The first course of wet-cast gravity blocks shall be placed on the leveling pad. The units shall be leveled side-to-side, front-to-rear and with adjacent units, and aligned to ensure intimate contact with the leveling pad. The first course is the most important to ensure accurate and acceptable results. No gaps shall be left between the front of adjacent units. Alignment may be done by means of a stringline or offset from base line to the back of the units.

C. Place and compact angular, clean drainage aggregate (3/4" to 1") in voids between blocks. Clean all excess debris from top of units and install next course.

D. Place next course of blocks so that the receiving slot at the bottom of the upper block rests on top of the alignment knobs on the lower blocks. Push units forward to remove any looseness in the unit-to-unit connection and then check alignment.

Check level and alignment of the units.

E. Layout and installation of curves and corners shall be in accordance with the plan details or in general accordance with wet-cast retaining wall unit’s manufacturer's installation guidelines.

F. Repeat procedures to extent of wall height.

G. The wall face cant shall not differ more than + 2 degrees from that specified.

Drainage Aggregate and Drainage Material Placement

A. Drainage aggregate shall be installed to the line, grades and sections shown on the final P.E.-sealed retaining wall plans. Drainage aggregate shall be placed to the minimum thickness shown on the construction plans between and behind units (a minimum of 1 cubic foot for each exposed square foot of wall face unless otherwise noted on the final wall plans).

Backfill Placement

A. The backfill shall be placed as shown in the final wall plans in the maximum compacted lift thickness of 8 inches and shall be compacted to a minimum of 95% of standard Proctor density (ASTM D 698) at a moisture content within -1% point to +3% point of optimum. The backfill shall be placed and spread in such a manner as to eliminate wrinkles or movement of the geosynthetic reinforcement and the SRW units.

B. Only hand-operated compaction equipment shall be allowed within 3 feet of the back of the wall units. Compaction within the 3 feet behind the wall units shall be achieved by at least three passes of a lightweight mechanical tamper, plate or roller.

C. At the end of each day's operation, the Contractor shall slope the last level of backfill away from the wall facing and reinforced backfill to direct water runoff away from the wall face.

D. At completion of wall construction, backfill shall be placed level with the final top of wall elevation. If final grading, paving, landscaping and/or storm drainage installation adjacent to the wall is not placed immediately after wall completion, temporary grading and drainage shall be provided to ensure water runoff is not directed at the wall nor allowed to collect or pond behind the wall until final construction adjacent to the wall is completed.

Construction Adjacent to Completed Wall

A. The Owner or Owner's Representative is responsible for ensuring that construction by others adjacent to the wall does not disturb the wall or place temporary construction loads on the wall that exceed design loads, including loads such as water pressure, temporary grades, or equipment loading. Heavy paving or grading equipment shall be kept a minimum of 3 feet behind the back of the wall face.

Equipment with wheel loads in excess of 150 psf live load shall not be operated within 10 feet of the face of the retaining wall during construction adjacent to the wall. Care should be taken by the General Contractor to ensure water runoff is directed away from the wall structure until final grading and surface drainage collection systems are completed.

ARTICLE 6.99.04 – Method of Measurement

Payment for Retaining Wall will be paid for on a lump sum basis and therefore will not be measured for payment. This work is to include all equipment, materials, and labor required to perform the work and install the retaining wall including but not limited to the concrete blocks, the leveling pad, drainage aggregate, and backfill.

ARTICLE 6.99.05 – Payment

Retaining Wall LS

ITEM # 12.99.009 PARKS MESSAGE BOARD SIGN

ARTICLE 12.99.01 – Description

Parks Message Board Sign shall consist of the procurement and installation of a park message board. This work includes but is not limited to any site preparation, clearing and grubbing necessary for installation, procurement of the sign, and installation of two sign posts.

ARTICLE 12.99.02 – Materials

Parks Message Board Sign is to be a Single-sided Message Center with Swing Door by Belson Outdoors with dimensions 50-inch length by 4 1/4-inch width by 39 7/16-inch length or approved equal. The sign is to be post mounted with 2 posts and posts are to be purchased by the same manufacturer for consistency. Post dimensions are 4-inches by 4-inches and 96-inches tall. The color for both the sign and the posts is to be black. Contractor shall confirm exact product specifications with Engineer prior to purchase.

ARTICLE 12.99.03 – Construction Method

The sign will be post-mounted in the approximate location as shown in the plan. Exact location is to be field verified with Engineer. The message board sign has two posts. Posts are to be attached to the sign per manufacturer’s instructions. The posts are 4-inch by 4-inch square and 96-inches in height. The posts shall be installed such that 54-inches of posts are exposed above ground with 3.5 feet of post buried. The holes shall be at least 8-inch round. Fill the empty hole approximately 4” from the top with concrete. Place the post squarely into the hole and let it settle. Use a level or plumb to level the post. Check the post regularly to ensure it does not shift while the concrete sets.

ARTICLE 12.99.04 – Method of Measurement

The method of measurement will be per each sign kiosk installed including all materials, equipment, and labor needed to complete the installation.

ARTICLE XX.XX.05 – Payment

Parks Message Board Sign EA

ALTERNATE BID ITEM: PILE LOAD TESTING

Description: If piles do not reach design embedment, or as directed by the Engineer, Contractor shall perform a static axial load tension test on a production pile in accordance with ASTM D3689.

Construction: The procedure shall be in accordance with ASTM D3689 for a quick axial test with the modification that the test should conclude when the pile has reached 125% of its axial design capacity. Contractor shall submit loading diagram, plan, and measuring device system for performing the test, and the means to inspect and record values during testing.

Method of Measurement: The method of measurement will be per each production pile tested and shall include all planning, materials, equipment, measuring devices, and labor needed to execute the test and provide results.

Payment:

Pile Load Testing EA